The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdullia, has described Paramount Chiefs as critical partners in achieving sustainable forest management in Sierra Leone.
He made the statement on Monday, 4 May 2026, during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Bombali District Council Hall, which brought together local authorities and Paramount Chiefs from Bombali, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, and Falaba districts.
The Minister called on local authorities to support the National Forest Inventory process, noting that the data collected will help identify forest types, locations, and conditions to guide sustainable environmental policies and climate resilience efforts.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative, Saeed Abunakarr Bancie, highlighted the importance of forests in biodiversity, climate regulation, and livelihoods, while warning that Sierra Leone has lost over 120,000 hectares of forest between 2010 and 2022.
He said the ongoing inventory will provide evidence to support forest restoration, protect water catchments, and create sustainable economic opportunities, while reaffirming FAO’s support with funding from the European Union.
The National Coordinator of the project, Patrick Abu Mattia, explained that the National Forest Inventory will collect data from 464 clusters nationwide, including 120 in the North/West region.
Senior Permanent Secretary Elizabeth Ellie stressed the importance of engaging Paramount Chiefs as key entry points into chiefdoms, noting that the last forest inventory was conducted over 50 years ago.
Paramount Chiefs welcomed the initiative but called for stronger government support, including funding and logistics, to enhance their role in protecting forests and enforcing environmental bylaws.
